“We know she didn’t start it. She was in Croatia at the time. We’ve checked with the airlines. We’ve no idea where she went, but she rented a car from Franjo Tudman Airport in Zagreb. And we don’t believe she hired someone to do it in her place. In fact, we have no reason to believe that she had anything to do with Hawkins’s death at all. But she did walk past his house. We were wondering why, what it is she’s after. And after what you’ve told me, we now have in Keane a man who likes fires, and kills. So you tell me.”

Banks shook his head. “I have no idea. I haven’t seen Zelda in a while, and Ray’s away in America. You want me to talk to her?”

“If you would. She’s in London, but she’s been informed she can head home as soon as she likes. We need to keep this low-key, Banksy, and the impression I get from the investigating team is that she doesn’t much like cops, even though she works for them. The chief investigators, Paul Danvers and Deborah Fletcher, have interviewed her twice now, and they said she was quite bolshy on both occasions. Mind you, Danvers walks around like he’s got a stick up his arse, and as for poor Debs, well, frigid stick insect would be a compliment. But I thought this Zelda might respond better to a casual chat with a friend, rather than a police interview.”

“I’m a cop, too, you know.”

“I know. But you’re also a friend of hers. And I know your liberal sympathies, your soft center. You’re exactly the right kind of sucker for a story like hers. See if you can find out what she knows that we don’t, and what she’s up to.”

“If you think I’m going to try to trap her into—”

“I’m not expecting you to do anything of the kind, Banksy. I know you and your sense of loyalty all too well. It’s admirable, if a tad inconvenient at times. Be as up front with her as you like. It doesn’t matter. As I said, she’s not a suspect. We just want to know why she’s so interested, and if she knows or suspects anything about Hawkins she’s not telling us. If you want to bring down Keane, my friend, whether it’s for personal revenge or whatever, you could do a lot worse than have the NCA owing you a favor.” He held up his empty tin and waved it back and forth. Banks went into the kitchen to get another for him and refilled his own glass when he got back.

“What do you know about this Petar Tadić character?” he asked Burgess when he came back.